Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface VII -- Acknowledgements IX -- Abbreviations X -- Abstract -- Keywords -- Introduction -- 1 Preliminaries -- 2 The Basic Scheme -- 3 Semantic Types and Semantic Roles -- 4 Peripheral Arguments -- 5 Clauses within Phrases and Clauses within Clauses -- 6 Free and Bound Pronouns -- 7 Head of a Verb Phrase -- 8 Copula Clauses and Verbless Clauses -- 9 Types of Intransitive Subject, S -- 10 The Sentence and Above -- Commentary and Notes -- Preliminary Note -- Notes to Sections -- References -- Index -- Books by R. M. W. Dixon.

Many works on linguistic typology deal in some detail with one or more particular grammatical topics without clearly demonstrating how these relate to other categories or construction types. The Essence of Linguistic Analysis by R. M. W. Dixon presents a framework which connects individual topics in a cogent and coherent way, showing their dependencies and locating each in its place within the overall tapestry of a language. A clear distinction is made between semantic roles and syntactic functions. And it is held that the basic constituents of a language are lexical elements. Grammatical items serve to link together lexical units. At every level of analysis, the central units are lexical with grammar providing ancillary indicators.

Description based on print version record.